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Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:09 pm
by Bradfordguy
I do. I got it from my grandfather — I called him Papa — he gave it to me when I was a kid. Just a simple pocket knife with jigged handles and a bail. Nothing fancy, but it meant everything to me.
I kept it at his house in the garage. There was a nail inside the door where it hung, right next to our walking sticks. That’s where it lived. That’s where I’d grab it.
I remember the feel of it — solid, snapped open with authority. It wasn’t a toy. It was mine.
One day my brother took it. I chased him trying to get it back, fell, and hit the back of my head hard enough to need stitches. Still have the scar that I can see if I get a close haircut. At the time, getting that knife back felt worth it.
That knife was lost when the garage caught on fire. My grandfather died in that fire.
Years later, my brother and I were at a gun show and came across one that looked just like it. I didn’t say anything — wanted to see if he noticed. He did and he picked it up and bought it for me.
Got me thinking… most of us remember our first knife.
What was yours? Still have it, or just the story?
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:33 pm
by Runner 4 Knives
Nice but sad story with a happy ending. It’s like your grandfather placed it there at the gun show for you to find.
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:39 pm
by woodwalker
Bradfordguy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:09 pm
I do. I got it from my grandfather — I called him Papa — he gave it to me when I was a kid. Just a simple pocket knife with jigged handles and a bail. Nothing fancy, but it meant everything to me.
I kept it at his house in the garage. There was a nail inside the door where it hung, right next to our walking sticks. That’s where it lived. That’s where I’d grab it.
I remember the feel of it — solid, snapped open with authority. It wasn’t a toy. It was mine.
One day my brother took it. I chased him trying to get it back, fell, and hit the back of my head hard enough to need stitches. Still have the scar that I can see if I get a close haircut. At the time, getting that knife back felt worth it.
That knife was lost when the garage caught on fire. My grandfather died in that fire.
Years later, my brother and I were at a gun show and came across one that looked just like it. I didn’t say anything — wanted to see if he noticed. He did and he picked it up and bought it for me.
Got me thinking… most of us remember our first knife.
What was yours? Still have it, or just the story?
Great story of remembrance. My first knife was a long watermelon knife bought at the dollar store back in the late 60's. They had red ones and green ones and fake pearl ones. I have no idea where mine went but I seen one for sale at an antique store and bought it.
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:41 pm
by Railsplitter
My first knife could have also been a camp knife that my grandpa gave me or it could have been this one. I got both of them around the same time and I don’t remember which one came first. The camp knife is long gone and I don’t remember what happened to it. I do remember that it had a fork and a spoon that when closed, were on the outside of the knife.
Me and a friend saved up our lunch money, put cash in an envelope, and mailed it off for a couple of these from an ad in the back of a Boys Life magazine. It was 1971 and we were both 10 years old.
Waiting for them to arrive in the mail was brutal.
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 6:06 pm
by woodwalker
Railsplitter wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:41 pm
My first knife could have also been a camp knife that my grandpa gave me or it could have been this one. I got both of them around the same time and I don’t remember which one came first. The camp knife is long gone and I don’t remember what happened to it. I do remember that it had a fork and a spoon that when closed, were on the outside of the knife.
Me and a friend saved up our lunch money, put cash in an envelope, and mailed it off for a couple of these from an ad in the back of a Boys Life magazine. It was 1971 and we were both 10 years old.
Waiting for them to arrive in the mail was brutal.
Nice story Rick. Cool knife too!
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 6:47 pm
by Railsplitter
woodwalker wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2026 6:06 pm
Railsplitter wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:41 pm
My first knife could have also been a camp knife that my grandpa gave me or it could have been this one. I got both of them around the same time and I don’t remember which one came first. The camp knife is long gone and I don’t remember what happened to it. I do remember that it had a fork and a spoon that when closed, were on the outside of the knife.
Me and a friend saved up our lunch money, put cash in an envelope, and mailed it off for a couple of these from an ad in the back of a Boys Life magazine. It was 1971 and we were both 10 years old.
Waiting for them to arrive in the mail was brutal.
Nice story Rick. Cool knife too!
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 7:13 pm
by Modern Slip Joints
All boys and most girls in my elementary school carried camp/scout/utility knives like the one hanging on a nail in the original poster's picture. They all had four tools: spear blade, bottle opener/flat head, awl and the never used can opener. I was given mine so young that I do not remember ever not having it. Mine was at the quality level of an Imperial. I lost interest in it after up grading to a Buck 301 Stockman in the 7th grade with money from my paper route. My 7th grade wood shop teacher required all boys and girls bring a pocket knife to class. The first day he told us stockmans were a great choice. I still have the Buck. I forget what what happened to the utility knife.
For decades most parents have not given their children pocket knives because they are afraid their kids will take one to school and get expelled. I know of one boy being expelled after he was caught secretly drawing a picture of the style of utility knife we all carried. MY guess is that is why the original poster had to leave his utility knife at his grandfather's most of the time.
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 7:17 pm
by Jeepergeo
My first knife was a black, two blade pocket knife about 3.25" long. I was about 5 and we were camped at Yosemite and my parents bought it for me, for $0.50 as I recall. It has been lost and found several times over the years. It is currently in the lost stage, though I'm confident it's here some place. I'd know it if I came across it again.
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 8:29 pm
by JBTrucker
Railsplitter wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:41 pm
My first knife could have also been a camp knife that my grandpa gave me or it could have been this one. I got both of them around the same time and I don’t remember which one came first. The camp knife is long gone and I don’t remember what happened to it. I do remember that it had a fork and a spoon that when closed, were on the outside of the knife.
Me and a friend saved up our lunch money, put cash in an envelope, and mailed it off for a couple of these from an ad in the back of a Boys Life magazine. It was 1971 and we were both 10 years old.
Waiting for them to arrive in the mail was brutal.
I have same knife bought when a kid at the Mid South Fair Memphis TN . Got caught with it at school and confiscated by the jerk principal . He said it was a illegal switchblade. I said it's not just a regular pocket knife and after phone call to my dad was given back to me .
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 9:23 pm
by garddogg56
It Twas an old Imperial Kamp King.Still have it
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2026 11:16 pm
by American Blade 92
When I was probably seven years old, my dad gave me a small, single-blade Old Timer pocket knife. I felt like I had a million dollars. He gave me a little length of rope the same time and showed me how to "lasso" a tree stump. That pocket knife and rope made the happiest kid in the world.
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2026 2:10 am
by Lansky1
yep - old timer, medium stockman from the early 80's
Re: Do you remember your first knife….?
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2026 7:45 am
by knife7knut
Allen's Hardware Saugus Massachusetts 1954 Outdoor Sportsman high carbon steel USA 98 cents. Still have it but it was MIA from 1967 to 1987. Too long a story to tell; posted before.